Fate's War
by Aurora4
Summary: Post-Season3- Gunn and Fred find out something shocking about their resident slayer. Then a 'chance' meeting at the L.A South High Regastration Day starts Fate's spinning wheel into motion as two misguided teens meet thier destiny.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own Angel or any of it's characters, I do however own person's of my own creation  
  
Post-Season 3  
  
Cordelia sighed impatiently. She had been sucked up through a beam of light two months ago and only to find that life as a higher being wasn't so great. For one thing everything was white, something she considered to be a major downfall of the place. Would a splash of seafoam green kill them? Another downfall was that while she had found out upon her arrival that Conner and Justine had dumped Angel in the middle of the Pacific and she was lead to believe that she could do nothing about it. Then about one week ago a mishchievous higher being informed her of a loophole. When Cordelia found that the powers had misled her she went into Queen C mode. She walked straight into The White Room, where the Powers held thier counsel and demanded more information. The eldest Power sighed inwardly, he had grown fond of the impetous young woman, but she needed to learn her rank here.  
  
' My dear,' he began patiently, Cordelia raised a perfect brow,' It is true. You may save your beloved champion. You may even return to Earth' Cordelia smiled brightly and the old man's face changed to a foreboding one,' However you yourself cannot save him nor can any other who cares for him.' Cordelia's 1000-watt smile dropped.  
  
' Oh great. Just great. I have to get some stranger to go to the bottom of the ocean to rescue the man that I love.' she replied sarcastically.  
  
The old man nodded, 'Precisely.' Cordelia turned to leave 'Oh Cordelia.' she turned to the ancient man huffily. ' You have one week to find the one you need to influence.'  
  
' Influence?'   
  
"Yes. Do you think that the champion's rescuer will be in LA? No. You will have to make events in the rescuer's life shift so that they are forced to be in the Los Angeles.' Cordelia nodded gratefully and just when she was about to leave he stopped her again.' And a little advice. Make sure that the one who will save Angelus makes the City of Angels thier permanant home.'  
  
Cordelia had taken the advice. She took her time in finding the one. She realized that the eldest had implied that there was one person only who could rescue Angel and she had found her. After four days of searching she remembered how Buffy had died liitle more than a year ago and even though she was alive again, the slayer had died...........  
  
  
******************** The New Caritas, Las Vegas***********************  
  
Lorne stood on the side of the bar waiting for the Vendegen demon to finish his rendition of 'Memories'. Lorne chuckled to himself, he hoped this wasn't a lasting memory. He'd been in Vegas for a month and all was going well and even though the demon population was substantial he had a spell that made everything seemed human added to the 'No Violence' magical rule. The Vendegan moved, for lack of a better word, offstage and a teenage girl, a regular actually, was dragged onstage by another teen. The dragger grabbed the mike to make an announcement that the dragee obviously dreaded. Now that Lorne thought about it she was usually alone, and she never sang.  
  
" It's my friend here's sixteenth birthday and we brought her to her favorite hangout to sing a liitle, so give her a hand!" the girl handed the mike to her obviously annoyed friend and selected a song. Lorne sat at a table towatch as he heard the opening strains of "Tears i Heaven". The spontaneous performers eyes widened as she shook her head, but she remained on stage as the lyrics began to roll accross the screen.  
  
" Would you know my name if I saw you in heaven, Would it be the same if I saw you in heaven....' Lorne smiled at her mournful voice when the visions hit him so hard he fell out of his seat. Flashing before his eyes were visions of a parentless child that went from foster home to foster home. Then the young woman she was now, well maybe a little younger, sitting in a well furnished room and listeining to an older Englishman tell her a shocking tale,then her leaving Caritas and following a customer, a vampiric customer. Finally he saw a future vision of her battling none other than Conner himself in the lobby of the Hyperion.   
After the last image faded Lorne found himself being hauled to his feet by the very girl whose life had flashed before his magenta eyes. She seated him and waved a concerned hand in front of his face.  
  
"Are you okay?", her tan forehead crinkled in the middle with worry. Lorne waved a green hand and nodded.  
  
"I'm fine my concerned little warrior, but as Ricki would say, 'You got some splainin' to do!"  
  
****************** L.A***************************  
  
Maeve Perez was standing in the foyer of the Hyperion when Fred walked into the lobby. The nervous young woman stared at the girl in wary anticipation, considering the call she had recieved from Lorne two days ago. She was a little below average height with brown eyes and hair that was so close to the same medium brown color it was eerie, except of course for the chunky black lowlights in her messy yet fashionable below shoulder length hair. Her olive skin was tanned deeply and she was wearing a black leather bomber jacket with a white t-shirt, worn-in low rider jeans and black suede sneakers." Hello, are you Maeve Walker ?"   
  
The young woman put down her suitcase and smiled warily.  
  
" Yes, who are you?" she inquired.  
  
Fred giggled nervously."Fred, well it's Winifred really, but that makes me feel like I'm a 78 year old woman with corns and blue hair and.....and I'm talking too much aren't I? I'm sorry I do that sometimes, It's a habit I'm trying to break, unsuccessfully, but there has been some progress, I'm doing it again. Oh, bother it all."she exclaimed as she threw up her hands.  
  
Maeve would have laughed at the tirade but a young african american man walked in from the side office and stared at her questioningly, " I'm sorry, we're not open for buisness at the time."   
  
The girl chuckled softly at the remark," I assure you it is not I who needs the help." Gunn raised his eyebrows at her statement. He also noticed a slight spanish accent, she probably has immigrant parents, he thought. He was about to reply with an equal remark when a white light flashed inbetween them. Gunn fell to the ground with Fred wrapped in his arms for protection.  
#  
Cordelia shook off the light travel sickness and looked around the lobby. She watched as Fred and Gunn struggled to get up and a confused, yet stylish teen staring at her intently.  
  
"Cordy!" yelped a very happy Fred as she wrapped her skinny arms around Cordelia's white silk clad body,"You're alive! I missed you so much it's been hard not having a girl friend to hang with, I mean it's just Charles and me and thats hardly sufficient..."  
  
"Hey!," cried her indignant boyfriend. Fred smiled apologetically." It's good to see you again Cordelia. I was really worried about you. Now if we can only get the brooding father to come back everything will be normal, well for us anyway." he relented with a smirk as he sat down on the round sofa that occupied the lobby floor. Cordelia smiled at his attempt to make light of desperate times. She knew that they had had to close Angel Investigations and that the couple had each taken jobs to pay for everyday needs.   
  
" It's good to see you guys again too. It is so boring in The Space." she turned gracefully," I mean the powers are so boring! Everything's fate this, and destiny that."  
Fred and Gunn glanced at each other,"Powers?"   
  
Cordelia sighed."Yeah, that's where i've been all this time. I was stopped on my way to meet Angel when the Powers called me to go up."  
  
"Up?" Fred asked.  
  
"Yep, I'm sort of a Power now." Cordelia dreaded the next sentence," But I can only stay long enought to save Angel, then it's back to deciding whether a stockbroker that lives with his mother dies or not."  
  
Fred sighed , the emotion tinged with sympathy and sadness," Cordy that sounds terrible, but I hate to see you leave again. Who am I going to girl talk with?" she smiled weakly.  
  
"Guys?" interupted Gunn." I think we're forgetting our guest." he explained, nodding towards an agitated, but obviously patient teen.   
Cordelia turned to see the young girl whose life she knew every detail and tears burned in her eyes."Maeve." she said singly. The girl continued her emotionless stare that Cordy knew she employed so often." Maeve. I'm the reason you're in L.A. I gave the Watcher's Council the message through one of thier witches that you were to move here." she stopped momentarily to observe any reaction. None. Just when she was about to resume speaking the slayer replied.  
  
" I know. The Council gave me an apartment and funds. They also made sure that ifthe question of a guardian was ever raised that all I had to do was contact them and they would take care of it." The girl waited for no response. She glance around the room and headed to the weapons cabinet. She removed several stakes, placed them in slots sown into her jacket and headed for the door. Gunn moved to stop her but Cordelia placed a hand up to stop him.   
  
"She's going to hunt. We have to discuss rescue plans." Cordelia sighed inwardly. Explaining the Angel situation was not going to be easy. Besides she had to go alone. A meeting that could make or break the future of the world was scheduled for tonight. Conner was going to see his fate tonight. A fate that both would fight, hopefully not to the last.  
  
please review. while i love writing it gives me inspiration when someone evaluates my work. 


	2. The First Step to Forever

Disclaimer: I only own Maeve  
  
The next morning Cordelia, Gunn, and Fred were eating breakfast when a tired slayer came in through the doors holding a battle ax covered in yellow ooze. The three watched her take off her jacket and place the ax on the floor next to the weapons cabinet She then sat down at the table and grabbed a few pancakes. She poured her syrup and began cutting her pancakes when she finally looked at the trio. "What?"  
  
" Teenagers!" Cordelia exclaimed." It's even worse with you Slayers. You're sixteen years old and you come strolling back in at seven a.m. with an ax covered in goo like it's perfectly acceptable. Maeve looked blankly at the young woman set down her fork and picked up the orange juice.  
  
" Well excuse me! It's not my fault that I stumbled onto a nest of Tothra just when I was about to come back!" she exclaimed exasperatedly. " Next time a demon cult is going to bring about the apocalypse I'll ask them to postpone it till the next blue moon!"  
  
" You do that!" Cordelia exclaimed as she took Maeve's untouched plate along with Fred and Gunn's finished one's and brought them to the kitchen. Maeve just huffed in her direction and folded her arms. After the table was cleared Cordy sat back down and she, Gunn, and Fred looked expectantly at the slayer. Maeve returned the expectant stare. Gun finally rolled his eyes and began.  
  
" Well, we've developed a plan to save Angel" Maeve nodded." He's at the bottom of the ocean, but he's still in the harbor, which isn't that deep. It is too deep for a normal human," he glanced doubtfully at Cordelia," but, apparently you can survive."  
  
Maeve nodded," I imagine I can." she leaned forward." After I go to Dunkin' Donuts to pick up some breakfast," she looked meaningfully at Cordelia, " I'm going to find the ship that brought Angel and the Terrible Two to the drop off point. I'll manage to convince the Captain, one way or another, to bring us to the spot. he shpould remember where it was, or at least the general area, then I'll convince him to loan me an oxygen tank and radar. I'll attach the metal hook of the crane to a rope and pull it down with me. After I attach it to Angelus's coffin I'll come back up and the captain will be kind enough to drag him up." Maeve looked around at the group," Sound like a plan?" they nodded." Good." Maeve then walked ou the door.  
  
***** that night on the boat****************  
  
Fred turned to the captain," It sure is nice of you sir, takin' us ou here for free and all." the captain nodded nervously and glanced at Maeve who smiled back at him. He then glanced at his radar.  
  
" We're gettin' close. You might want to suit up." he suggested to Maeve. She nodded as she walked past him.  
  
" I'll do that" she began stripping off her close revealing a navy blue one-piece bathing suit. She then pulled on the gotex wet suit and lifted the heavy oxygen tank onter her back and strapped it on with the help of Gunn. She smiled appreciatively as she placed the mouthpiece in her moth and turned on the bright light that would guide her throught the dark water. Then she tied the metal hook onto her waist with a thick rope. She then walked over to the edge of the boat and sat down. After about five minutes the captain gave her the nod and she dropped backwards into the ocean and the four people on the boat watched her sink.  
  
Maeve was dropping steadily for about two minutes when she hit the bottom. As soon as she landed she saw Angel's coffin about two-hundred yards away. She made the slow progress to it and when she finally rached it she snapped the hook onto one of the chains. She then climbed up the chain. When she finally surfaced she swam to the boat and began to take off the equipment as the captain used the crane to pull up the metal box. By the time the coffin was lifted on board Maeve had managed to pull on her jeans, shoes and white button down shirt. Gunn and Fred made a dash for the coffin and it took all of Cordelia's strength not to do the same. Maeve gave a meaningful look to Cordy and she nodded. She then went to the pair, smiling as the two trieed to break open the box. She pulled them away gently as she smiled sadly at thier confused expressions.  
  
" This isn't going to be pretty, or safe." at the last comment they both became more confused. Cordelia just nodded in the direction of Maeve as she used a crow bar to break the welded cover off with her impressive strength. When it finally broke off the cover fell to the ground with a loud ringing noise as the group stared at Angel's shrunken form. From lack of blood his body and sunken in on itself til he looked like he belonged in a third world country. Suddenly his eyes snapped open and his face turned into a demonic mask. His eyes settled on Maeve and she looked at him with a resigned expression. He launched himself at the young slayer and latched his vampiric teeth to her vulnerable neck. Fred gasped and Gunn moved to help the girl but Cordelia held them back.  
  
" What are you doing!" screamed Fred.  
  
Cordelia stared at her with a reserved expression," ANgel hasn't had blood in about a month. He's beyond reason. Maeve's here because the only thing that can revive him from the deep coma that he would have gone into is the powerful blood that flows through her veins."   
  
The group watched in horror as Maeve struggled with Angel, instinctively wanting to shove him off, but knowing she can't yet. When she finally could take no more she shoved his body off of hers and he passed out. Maeve remained laying on the deck, unable to move. Gunn moved forward and picked her up. When they arrived at port he carried her to his truck, where Fred stayed with her nadhe went back to help Cordy with the unconcious Angel.  
  
When the group reached the hotel Gunn and Cordelia brought Angel up to his room and Fred helped the weak slayer int the lobby, where she passed out on the couch. Fred began to tend to her wounds, basically her bleeding neck. The blood was covering her white shirt, which was ruined. Fred tore it off and cleaned her wound then wrapped a bandage around her neck. When she was done Gunn touched her on the shoulder. She looked up at him, looking lost and confused. he hugged her and then looked down at Maeve.  
  
" I thought I had been through a lot at sixteen. But to know that you're chances of making twenty-five are slim to none and to risk death every night for other people on top of saving the world." he blew out of his mouth and shook his head.   
  
Fred nodded. " She knew." Gunn looked at her confused." She knew that Angel was going to attack her that way and she did it anyway." Gunn nodded sadly.  
  
" Cordelia's upstairs with Angel. You go to bed. After I put her in her room I'll join you." Fred nodded and went up the stairs. Gunn scooped up the teen and looked down at her now pale skin. He shook his head sadly. Destined to save the world while dealing with high school and hormones. She must be one brave, tough chick. Of course there was a fine line between bravery and stupidity. He should know. He crossed it all the time.  
He met Cordy in the hallway and she followed him into Maeve's room.  
  
" I'll clean her up, you go to bed,higher beings don't sleep much. Deciding the fate of millions and all." she smiled wryly at Gunn in her own Cordelia way. He was still shocked to hear about her new status.   
  
Just as he was about to leave the room he turned to her. " Cordelia. I know I haven't said it yet, but it's really good to have you back." He turned and left the room. Cordelia strained a smile. She just couldn't tell them that the visit wasn't permanant. She turned to the young slayer who had done so much for the people she cared for and loved. Maeve had risked her life to save Angel with no thought about her own welfare. She moved maeve up so that she could take off her bloodied clothes and the unconcious sixteen year old groaned. After she had a fresh change of clothes and was sleeping comfortably Cordelia set out for the last part of her mission, one she wasn't looking forward to.  
  
************* next day***************  
  
Maeve woke slowly to the sound of someone moving around. She opened her eyes to see that Fred girl taking her bloody clothes. Just then Fred looked at her," Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to wake you it's just that I wanted to get the blood off your clothes before it sets." Maeve nodded and grabbed the bedside clock. 12:30! That was late, even for her. She sat up quickly and fell back down almost as fast. Fred then dropped the clothes and rushed to her side.  
  
" You have to be careful. You lost a lot of blood last night after........well you just have to take it easy." Maeve smiled her thanks to the concerned girl she hoped would be her friend.  
  
" Will you help me to the bathroom, please?" she asked. Fred nodded as she picked up the clothes again.  
  
"No problem, it's right near the washroom." She then put her shoulder under Maeve's and helped her struggle down the hall. After Maeve finished in the bathroom she was startled to see Fred waiting for her. Fred took note of the girl's surprised face. " What's wrong? I just thought you might need help down the stairs. At this Maeve let ou a rare smile.  
  
" Thanks. It's just that ever since I was called people don't think I need help with anything." she turned to Fred as she leaned on the top of the railing. " It's nice."  
  
Just then Gunn came striding down the hall, " Well Fred's a nice person." he smiled at the small Texan," It's why I Iove her." Fred blushed deeply at this. Gunn then turned to Maeve with a smile on his face," Unfortunatly she isn't Super Girl. So l'll help you down." Fred sighed acceptance to the fact that she lacked muscle. Maeve smiled brightly as he crouched down to reach under her knees, but started down the stairs by herself, showing no unsteadiness. The couple looked at each other and followed her down.  
  
" It's okay," she said as she reached the stairs. " I'm not dizzy anymore." Both of her new friends looked surprised at the recently shaky legged girl. " Superhuman healing powers and all. Comes with the Destiny." she said wryly, giving the impression that she wan't happy with her amazing healing ability. She noticed thier expressions as she sat down." Don't get me wrong that's a perk. Along with superhuman strength, agility, reflexes and speed."  
  
GUnn looked accross the table at the dejected teen as Fred poured them coffee." And the down side is???" he joked.   
  
She looked up at him sadly," I won't see twenty-five." At this last shocking statement Fred dropped the coffee pot. Almost faster than the human eye could detect Maeve shot out her hand and caught the glass pot just as it was going to hit the floor. Fred and Gunn stared at her amazed.  
  
" Told ya." she supplied sardonically. She stood up quickly, not able to stand thier stares. " I better get dressed. Gotta register for high school today." She then ran for the stairs as Cordelia was heading down. Cordelia watched the disturbed teen race past her. Then turned to gaze at her longtime friends.  
  
"Whats wrong guys?" Cordelia inqiured of her stunned friends. Fred's eyebrows drew together as she answered with her own question.  
  
" Why won't Maeve live to be twenty five Cordelia? Is she terminally ill."  
  
Cordelia sighed as she sat down," I never became great friends with any of the slayers I've known. There was always something in the way, jealousy or insanity." She poured herself a cup of the rescued coffee," But I do know that one of the hardest things for them to face is their own mortality."  
  
"But all humans are mortal, why is she any different? Besides that doesn't explain why she won't live past twenty five." Gunn cut in.  
  
"Gunn. You don't understand. Slayers risk their lives from the time they slay their first vampire at fifteen to the moment they die. It's not like they have a choice like you or me. They can't just say,' No I really don't want to be responsible for two billion lives while risking mine in a thankless job that will kill me before I reach twenty five.' They have no choice." She looked up from her coffee." No slayer has ever lived to her twenty-fifth birthday. Even Buffy, she's died three times."  
  
Gunn and Fred leaned back, both with a surprised 'wow'. Just then Maeve came down the stairs. She glanced from Fred to Gunn to Cordelia, resting her gaze there." You ready to go?"   
  
Cordelia grabbed her purse."Yeah, let's beat it." She turned to Fred," You guys should keep an eye on Angel." the brunette nodded.  
  
"That reminds me," Maeve said flippantly," If he gets really, really bad I left some superhuman blood in the fridge." the grotesqueness of Maeve extracting her own blood for a vampire she didn't know stunned the timid Texan and even her hardened L.A street tough boyfriend.  
  
***** Los Angeles South High School****************  
  
Ok. Maeve I'm going to go register you, do you have the papers the Council gave you?" Maeve rumaged throught her black messenger bag and pulled out a manilla folder and then handed it to Cordelia.  
  
"Here you go." she was going to sit down on a bench when she saw the extracurricular booths that most high schools set up a month before school starts." Hey Cordelia." Cordelia turned to face her," I'm gonna head over to the extracurricular booths, okay?"  
  
Cordelia smiled at the young slayer who was striving for normalcy," Okay, but not too many."  
  
Maeve smiled," Thanks Cordy, but I know, I know I have to leave room..."  
  
"To save the world" they said simultaneausly. Cordelia made her way toward the office and Maeve walked towards the crowd around the extracurricular booths.  
  
As she was standing in front of the Jujitsu Club booth she was pushed forward as a messy brown headed teenager tripped into her. After twisting through the air she landed on top of him as he manged to break her fall.   
  
~Stephen/ Conner POV~  
  
Conner moved swiftly out of they way to avoid the Gymnastic Clubs awry presentation. Un fortunately he moved too swiftly and he careened into the person behind him. He manged to twist around in the air so that he broke the persons fall.  
  
Conner shifted uncomfortably from the persons weight on top of him. It was then that he realized that it was a girl, one his own age. After a moment of shock she began to stand up, unfortunately Conner couldn't see her face because her long wavy brown hair obscured his view. As soon as she was up Conner propelled himself upward so that he was standing in front of her. He still couldn't see her face because she was brushing herself off and not looking at him.  
  
" Are you okay? I'm really sorry. It's just tha...." He inquired.  
  
The girl looked up sharply," I'm fine. It's just I didn't feel you coming is all." Maeve replied as she looked up into the greenest eyes ever. Damn he was cute! He even had the messy hair thing going on she thought as she smiled warmly at him.  
  
Conner saw the girls face for the first time and his stomach suddenly felt strange. She had slightly messy wavy brown hair with black streaks and brown eyes. Her skin was deep tan, darker than his gradually developing tan. He then looked up to see Justine gesturing to him from about six feet away." Sorry, but I've got to go. Maybe I'll see you in school?"  
  
She smiled,"Maybe." she replied in a way that made Conner think that somehow he would make sure he did. He was about to say so when Justine dragged him away. Just then Cordelia came up to her," Ready to go?" she asked as if she hadn't seen Conner being dragged away by Justine. Her plan was working!  
  
Maeve turned to her," Yea, sure." They both headed for the car.  
  
~Conner and Justine~  
  
"Conner, who was that?" Justine hissed.  
  
" Someone I bumped into." he answered with a shrug," Since when do you call me Conner, anyway?"  
  
" Remember, that's the name your birth certificate, social security and everything else is under, so thats what you have to use." she answered." Well whoever she was she was strange. Didn't you think it was odd that she said she didn't FEEL you coming?"  
  
Conner shrugged again," She was a bit strange. She made me feel sort of tingly." he turned to Justine," Do you think she is a demon?"  
  
Justine rolled her eyes at his innocence. Just what she needed, a superhuman teenage boy with raging hormones. "No, Conner, she's not a demon." She answered as she slid into the drivers seat. 


End file.
